Stearman Build Day #2 - almost done

Essentially finished the Stearman today. I need the motor and the receiver to complete the build. She is huge, and a thing of beauty.

Aileron servos setup, preparing the wing.

Servos in. I forgot to snap a pic of the install, but it went pretty much by the book.

Hinges in the aileron, preparing to join it to the wing.

I was worried about losing the aileron servos leads in the wing, so I used the string they provided for the install, just kept it tied to the plug, but ran the bitter end through the frame and tied it off. This part is in a hole in the frame so the string does not interfere with the wing install

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Both wings done.

Pilot figure. I was going to make him a Kamikaze, but thought that might be a bit prophetic... Luke and my names on the cockpits since fling is becoming his thing too.

Finished, except for the motor and receiver!

She is fragile. It will be some time before I am ready to fly her. Want to work out my piloting bugs on the Alphs Sport 450 first. This plane is pretty big, not sure she is a park flyer, per se...

Stearman Build Day #1

This afternoon after getting home from work, I decided to start the E-flite PT-17 Stearman build. It has been a very easy and smooth build. This is a very nice kit!

Initial step, installing the Futaba MN48 Mini servos for rudder and elevator.

Sweet!

Installing the elevator hinges. The horizontal stabilizer with a center portion of the Ultracote peeled off as per the instructions.

I remain baffled as to why this was required.

Using a fine tip applying CA to the hinges. I did so to both sides.

Horizontal stab and elevator installed, preparing the rudder. 

My AMA license number as per regs.

Installed the linkages after connecting the receiver and ESC to center the servos.

ESC velcroed with Dupont Double Strength "Velcro" under the motor mount.

Tail wheel installed, linkages before shortening. These were quite long and I had to cut them. When I was trying to screw the rudder clevis into place before I decided to cut the rod, I accidentally popped a hole in the Ultracote. I came up with a rather nice fix, as seen below.

Using a cutting blade, covering the fuse, cutting the linkage to fit with a Dremel cutting blade. I decided to do them in situ as it was easy.

After cutting. Note the angle of the rudder control rod as per the instructions.

Using a Dremel grinding stone to smooth the jagged edges.

Lining up the rudder linkage with the rudder hinge. The white tape is to cover a hole I poked in the Ultracote... I later re-did this tape and it looks much cleaner.

Preparing to drill and install the rudder control horn.

I found locking the tail with a black metal clip very useful.

Rudder and elevator control horns and clevi installed. See the cleaner white tape repair.

Attached the cabanes and the middle upper wing section. This was a little harder to do as the pan head screws are US standard units and not metric. I don't have any US standard ball drivers or Allen's so I had to screw them in by hand and then tighten them with needle nose pliers.

I decided to stop here tonight, after about 6-7 hours of work. Went by fast! In the next day or so I should finish most of the build. Installing the wings and ailerons, their servos, and the cowl. I was waiting for an Exceed MonsterPower 15 or the Hobby King G15 motors to come back in stock, but they just weren't coming in over the past month. So I ordered a very nice motor from HeadsUpRC.com and it should be here early next week (today is Saturday). I used the counterfeit AR6100 from my SimStick to drive the servos; I need to order a AR500 from Horizon Hobby. Installing the motor, the receiver and the pilot figure, and that will just about do it! Then its getting up the nerve to fly it!

Cubby's ESC burns up...

Almost forgot to mention... Yesterday I finished repairs on the Cubby. I had run the motor a couple of times during this repair, about 5 minutes before this last spin up. This time I smelled an electrical fire. I turned everything off and inspection revealed a capacitor on the generic ESC had burned up. I removed it from the a/c and have asked Nitroplanes to replace it. Damn, otherwise Cubby is ready to fly!

UPDATE: Wow, now that's service! I asked Nitroplanes to replace the ESC, and Eric is sending me a new one, within 30 minutes of my posting the service request on RCDisuss.com, their forum for service etc. I have always had excellent service with them, and will continue to be a customer of NP, Hobbypartz and Xheli!

Eflite Alpha Sport 450 High Wing Trainer

I did some research looking for a good high wing trainer, since the Cubby really isn't a trainer. I decided on the beautiful and well respected E-flite Alpha Sport 450, here seen after completing the build It wouldn't fit over the shelf!  I purchased it from Horizon Hobby.  I love this plane and can't wait to fly it. Its a balsa/ply Ultracote aircraft, not a foamie, so I am a little nervous about the prospect of crashing it...

I was surprised at what I suspect is a less than optimal quality of the application of the Ultracote. In comparison with the E-flite PT17 Stearman kit (also from Horizon) I am about to embark on, this was very wrinkled. The Stearman is flawless. I am going to have to learn how to smooth it out...

I put the Alpha together in one evening. A very easy build being a plug-n-play (PNP). I added a Spektrum AR 6100e receiver, but everything else was stock. The E-flite servos were all centered, and I only had to adjust the linkages at the servo arms. Programmed easily into the Dx6i, even set up dual rates. Expo at 30%. I noted that the servos give a good and complete range of motion, except the rudder. The servo is centered, and moves through its full range, but it moves the rudder fully right, only partially left... Its not binding. I don't know if that's the way its supposed to be. As I said, the servo and linkages are moving fine... Not sure what's up with that.

So, here are the pics of the wrinkles, and the fully assembled, still beautiful aircraft!

Under the landing gear on the fuse

Underside of the elevator

Starboard side

Inboard right wing

Outboard right wing

Inboard left wing

Mid left wing

Outboard left wing

Underside right aileron. Similar wrinkles on the topside of both ailerons (no pics).

Underside mid right aileron

Inboard underside left aileron

Underside outboard left aileron

Continues all the way outboard left aileron

Left wing fillet. The right is fine.

Sweet! E-flite Alpha Sport 450!

EXI 450 Electrical Failure

I was flying Radd's in the garage when the heli started getting jumpy. The swash would twitch up and down. I turned it off and inspection revealed the aileron and pitch servo wires had gotten into the main gear and rubbed through. I didn't have my camera to photograph the damage... but I repaired them by soldering in a new section, and here's the post pic.

I have repaired the Cubby, but am waiting for the new motor and the props. At some point my foamy must become a gluey, right? I mean, how much damage can it take before its all glue and no foam?

I also installed the GY192 gyro to try again to stabilize the roll, and adjusted the clevi on the control horns. I found out that the further away from the aileron the less throw. I thought it would be the other way around. Haven't tested it yet.

Repaired Cub, Before Today's Crash

I had just gotten the Cubby repaired this morning, only to crash it again this afternoon. I had tried a cheap gyro, which would had prevented today's debacle, but it wasn't working, so I removed it. I may buy a decent one and try it again.

Below are pics of the damage after today's crash...

I'll have the fuse repaired by morning. I am going to wait for the new motor to arrive. This one was rubbing, and I bent the shaft before the crash. Its straight, but I'd just as soon get the Cubby back with a normal motor.

Brush with danger... Death Cub for Lukey

The video says it all. I need to do a better job being safe...

Flying my just repaired Exceed J3 Cub 4 ch foamie. Winds were light, but gusts were 10-15 mph. The winds here are usually from the south. The aircraft got too close to us as it would not turn upwind on an attempted landing, and blew over our heads. Once it passed I could not get it to stay down, then it lifted with a gust. When the gust passed the aircraft suddenly dived and crashed. Luke did an exceptional job filming.